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Lord Freud agrees to discuss ARCH/NFA Welfare Survey
04/03/2016

Lord Freud, Minister of State for Welfare Reform, has offered a
meeting with ARCH and the NFA to discuss the findings of our
joint Welfare Reform survey.

The survey showed that since the roll out of Universal Credit in
April 2014, 89% of those in receipt have accumulated rent arrears,
with 34% subject to an Alternative Payment Arrangement (APA).

Both the NFA and ARCH were extremely concerned about the
proportion of tenants who have moved across to the new Universal
Credit falling into rent arrears and the consequent hardship this
is undoubtedly causing for claimants and sought a meeting with the
Minister responsible for welfare reform.

Lord Freud has responded to these concerns and has invited ARCH
Chair, Cllr Ellis and NFA Chair Hugh Broadbent to a meeting at the
Department for Work and Pensions to discuss the survey findings. A
date for the meeting is being arranged.

The research also revealed that the current six week assessment
period for UC claims, combined with the initial seven day waiting
period, is having serious consequences on tenants' ability to
maintain rent payments.

The NFA and ARCH have urged the government to:

Abandon the current seven day waiting period for entitlement,
and

Speed up the assessment process to three weeks. Bringing
UC processing periods closer to the two weeks usually achieved for
Housing Benefit.

Reconsider earlier calls by ARCH and the NFA for 'direct
payment' to landlords to be made available as a choice for all
tenants, as called for by the ARCH Tenant Group, and set out in the
joint ARCH/NFA manifesto.